Bill,
Welcome,and if you make a decision to purchase one of these awesome boats, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. My sailing experience is much more limited than most of the posters on this site, but I can tell you that it has been relatively easy for me to singlehand our 44 with the aid of my trusty autopilot. As long as the autopilot will hold the boat on a steady course for a few crucial moments, it is quite easy for a novice like me coming from 1 year on a 26 footer and a lifetime on powerboats.
